SERS substrates

Abstract

A surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy substrate device, including a base substrate, a single or multiple layered nanostructure that contains metals, and a plasma coating. The nanostructure metal is selected from the group including silver, gold, platinum, copper, titanium, chromium, and combinations thereof. The plasma coating has a thickness of 1-200 nm and may locate on the nanostructure layer or on the base substrate. The plasma coating can precisely control the surface characteristics, including surface energy, hydrophilicity, and contact angle, of the SERS device and may then help to regulate the SERS substrate with well defined and uniform water/oil contact angle with small standard deviation. The water contact angle of the SERS substrate may range from 20 to 140 degrees.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A device for facilitating SERS analysis, comprising:
 a first substrate; 
 a plurality of nanostructures disposed on the first substrate to define a nanocoated surface; and 
 a plasma deposition layer disposed on the first substrate at least partially contacting the nanocoated surface; 
 wherein the nanocoated surface is at least partially coated with a second metallic layer. 
 
     
     
       2. A surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy device, comprising:
 a base substrate; 
 a nanostructure layer at least partially covering the base substrate; 
 a metallic nanostructure coating layer deposited at least partially over the nanostructure layer; and 
 a plasma deposition layer deposited at least partially over all the nanostructures on the first substrate. 
 
     
     
       3. A device for SERS (surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy) analysis, comprising:
 a SERS-active surface defining an array of SERS-active metal nanostructures, wherein the nanostructures are selected from the group including roughened surfaces, nanoparticles, nanoaggregates, nanopores/nanodisks, nanorods, nanowires, conductive metal coated microarrays, and combinations thereof; and 
 a plasma coating layer at least partially deposited upon the SERS-active surface; 
 wherein the metal nanostructures are disposed between the plasma coating layer and a substrate. 
 
     
     
       4. A device for SERS (surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy) analysis, comprising:
 a SERS-active surface defining an array of SERS-active metal nanostructures, wherein the nanostructures are selected from the group including roughened surfaces, nanoparticles, nanoaggregates, nanopores/nanodisks, nanorods, nanowires, conductive metal coated microarrays, and combinations thereof; and 
 a plasma coating layer at least partially deposited upon the SERS-active surface; 
 wherein the metal nanostructures are disposed between the plasma coating layer and a substrate; and 
 wherein the plasma coating layer partially covers the metal nanostructures. 
 
     
     
       5. A device for SERS (surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy) analysis, comprising:
 a SERS-active surface defining an array of SERS-active metal nanostructures, wherein the nanostructures are selected from the group including roughened surfaces, nanoparticles, nanoaggregates, nanopores/nanodisks, nanorods, nanowires, conductive metal coated microarrays, and combinations thereof; and 
 a plasma coating layer at least partially deposited upon the SERS-active surface; 
 wherein the plasma coating is positioned between multiple layers of SERS-active structures to serve as spacer defining distances therebetween. 
 
     
     
       6. A SERS device, comprising:
 a base substrate; 
 a plurality nanomaterial layers operationally connected to the base substrate, each respective layer defining a plurality of metallic nanoparticles; 
 a plurality of plasma coating layers operational connected to the base substrate; 
 wherein respective nanomaterial layers alternate with respective plasma coating layers.